Panthers hire Dale Tallon as general manager

Former Blackhawks GM replaces Randy Sexton

The Panthers hired former Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon to replace Sexton and will introduce the ninth GM in franchise history Tuesday morning at BankAtlantic Center.

Tallon, 59, was serving as a senior adviser of hockey operations for the Blackhawks.

According to a source, former Wild GM Doug Risebrough, former Bruins GM Mike O'Connell and Rangers assistant director of player personnel Jeff Gorton were the others on the Panthers' short list who were considered.

It's uncertain whether Sexton, whose one-year contract is set to expire June 1, will remain with the team in some capacity. Sexton was in Brandon, Manitoba, scouting at the Memorial Cup when informed of Tallon's hiring and wasn't available for comment.

Tallon, who in four seasons as Blackhawks GM maneuvered their rise from third-worst record in the NHL to the Western Conference finals, is optimistic he can rebuild the Panthers. While the Blackhawks had missed the playoffs six of the past seven seasons when Tallon took over in 2005, the Panthers haven't made the playoffs since 2000 — an NHL record-tying nine consecutive seasons.

"I'm elated. It's a great opportunity," said Tallon, 59, who plans to fly to Germany on Wednesday to meet with Panthers coach Pete DeBoer, an assistant coach for Canada at the World Championships. "I've just got to give him some tools to work with and see if he can do the job."

Panthers majority owners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel released a statement Monday noting "we are thrilled and honored to open a new chapter in Florida Panthers franchise history." They added that Tallon "brings with him a proven track record and an impressive franchise-building resume that we believe is the perfect fit for the future" and thanked Sexton, who was named GM hours before the season opener Oct. 2 in Helsinki, for his service.

Tallon told the Sun Sentinel he was first contacted by Panthers alternate governor Bill Torrey near the end of April. Discussions continued and ultimately "it felt right for both parties," Tallon said.

"They've got a lot of good draft picks. They've got some good young players," Tallon said. "It's a similar situation to what we started with in Chicago, so I'm looking forward to it."

Much of the appeal of this union, both from the Panthers' perspective and Tallon's, is that the team will have nine picks in next month's draft in Los Angeles, including the No. 3 overall pick and three picks in the second round.

Two of those second-rounders were acquired at the trade deadline when Sexton, who first became interim GM last May after Jacques Martin left to coach the Canadiens, sent Jordan Leopold to the Penguins and fellow defenseman Dennis Seidenberg to the Bruins.

"We have the blueprint. We know how to do it," Tallon said. "We just have to implement it now."

Tallon reconstructed the Blackhawks, who finished with 65 points his first season as GM, by drafting All-Stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. He also traded for Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg, and signed other current Blackhawks Marian Hossa, Brian Campbell, John Madden and Antti Niemi as free agents.

"He did a complete re-haul of a very bad product, and as a result you see the crowds and the excitement the Blackhawks have instilled in Chicago," said Thrashers GM Rick Dudley, who was Tallon's assistant in Chicago and Panthers GM from 2002-04. "He knows how to construct a team. He's a builder. And he'll do a heck of a job there [in Florida]. The only thing that bothers me is we're in the same division."

Despite Tallon's success in Chicago, he was demoted last July a week after the team mistakenly filed paperwork of qualifying offers to its restricted free agents after the deadline. But many inside the organization and outside believe the move was made because Blackhawks president John F. McDonough wanted to bring in his own guy, Stan Bowman, to be GM. Bowman is the son of Blackhawks senior adviser Scotty Bowman. Former Blackhawk Martin Havlat criticized management the day after Tallon's demotion.

"I know [Tallon] wants to make an impact there [in Florida] the way he did with the 'Hawks," Sharp told the Chicago Tribune on Monday. "He's got a relationship with a lot of the guys in the room, so we're all very happy for him and proud of him."